- Public invited to pay tribute to The Hon Bill Grayden AM on Tuesday, 2 June 2026
- Mr Grayden was a WWII veteran and WA's longest serving member of Parliament
- The Hon Bill Grayden AM passed away last month aged 105
The Western Australian public is invited to reflect on the extraordinary life of the Honourable Bill Grayden AM on Tuesday, 2 June.
The service will take place at 10am on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, at St George's Cathedral in Perth.
Decorated World War II veteran the Hon Bill Grayden AM was also Western Australia's longest-serving member of Parliament - and served as both a member of State and Federal Parliaments across six decades.
Mr Grayden sadly passed away on 28 April aged 105 after a short illness, surrounded by his family and leaving an extraordinary legacy of both wartime and community service.
As a member of the 2/16th Battalion, he fought first in the Middle East and was part of the force which defeated pro-German Vichy French troops in Syria. His battalion was then sent to bolster the Allied forces in Singapore which fell before they arrived.
They were diverted temporarily to Australia and assigned to one of the most brutal theatres of WWII, the Kokoda trail, then Borneo, where he was stationed when the war ended. Prior to returning to Western Australia, he helped with the repatriation of Japanese troops.
In 1947, just two years after the war ended, 27-year-old Mr Grayden entered State Parliament as the Liberal MP for Middle Swan and was the youngest member of the Parliament at that time. He was known for crossing the floor - his support for the appointment of an Ombudsman in WA and the banning of cigarette advertising were two such occasions.
In 1949, he resigned to contest the Federal election and won the seat of Swan. He became a member of Robert Menzies' 1949 Government and the time of his death, was the last living member of this cohort. He campaigned strongly for lifting the ban on the export of manganese which was instrumental in the establishment of these mines in the Pilbara.
He then re-entered State politics in 1956 as the MP for South Perth and opposed his own government regarding the relocation of Barracks Arch.
During his time in both Parliaments, he held a number of Cabinet roles and left politics in 1993, being appointed a member of the Order of Australia in 1994. Mr Grayden was also the longest-serving member of the Parliamentary Liberal Party.
Bill and his wife Betsy had 10 children, 36 grandchildren, and 50 great-grandchildren.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"Bill Grayden's remarkable life will be honoured with a State Funeral on 2 June, giving the Western Australian public an opportunity to reflect on his achievements and contribution to society.
"A decorated World War II veteran and long-standing Member of Parliament, the service will be a fitting tribute to honour a man who dedicated his life to the State and the nation.
"I thank his family for sharing this personal moment with the people of Western Australia."
As stated by Veterans Minister Paul Papalia:
"Bill Grayden represented a generation of Australians whose service shaped the nation we know today, on the battlefield and in public life.
"For the veteran community, Bill Grayden's legacy is one of leadership, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to those who have served.
"This State Funeral is not only a tribute to his remarkable life, but a recognition of the enduring contribution of his generation."
